Heir to Chemical Industrial Family Turns Environmentalist

..According to a 2017 report by the Outdoor Industry Association, there are roughly 9.3 million active alpine skiers and 7.6 million snowboarders nationwide, the largest subset of winter sports enthusiasts. To reach these groups and expand its reach in Washington, Protect Our Winters has recruited scores of winter sports athletes to spread its message.

One of these is Alexi "Lexi" duPont, a 29-year-old mountain free skier from Sun Valley, Idaho, who soared to fame after appearing in several ski films by the late Warren Miller. Dupont has more than 23,000 followers on Instagram, where she chronicles her environmental activism and outdoor adventures. She's also talked to Idaho school assemblies about climate change, and has helped start an educational video series called Down to Earth to connect students with the melting of ice caps in the Arctic.

A descendent of the French family that built its wealth on chemicals, duPont says her activism is partly a response to her family's industrial legacy. But she also grew concerned about climate change after experiencing numerous winters in Idaho with reduced snowfall and ever-earlier melt-offs.

"Over the last ten years, the impacts (of climate change) keep coming faster and faster," said duPont, adding she feels an urgency to act. "We are the first generation to witness it and we may be the last one that can do anything about it."